jensen



I. J. JENSEN BOAT ANCHOR March 3, 1964 United States Patent 3,123,037 BOAT ANCHOR Irving .I. Jensen, 910 Highland Ave, Iowa City, Iowa Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 283,064 Claims. (Cl. 114-408) This invention relates to boat anchors, and more partioularly to anchors of the releasable type.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved boat anchor which may be set to a position wherein its anchoring prongs extend outwardly so that it may be used in the normal manner, but which may be collapsed when desired responsive to a pull exerted on an associated release cable, enabling the anchor to be readily retrieved, and allowing the associated boat to be quickly freed for movement.

A further object or" the invention is to provide an improved collapsible boat anchor which is simple in construction, which is easy to set up for use, and which automatically retracts its anchoring prongs and moves to a collapsed position responsive to a pull exerted upon an associated release cable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible boat anchor which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, which involves relatively few parts, and which is very easy to manipulate.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent [from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved collapsible boat anchor constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown with its anchoring prongs or blades in outwardly extending positions, whereby the anchor is ready for normal use.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, showing the manner in which the anchoring prongs or blades of the anchor of FIGURE 1 become embedded in the soil at the bottom of a body of water, holding the associated boat against movement.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view, showing the anchor in collapsed position with its blades retracted and extending reanwardly.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken through the anchor in the position of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved collapsible boat anchor constructed in accordance with the present invention. The anchor 11 comprises an elongated tubular main shank portion 12 which is provided at its bottom end with a cap 13 secured in closing position with respect to the bottom of the shank 12 by a cotter pin 14 extending transversely through the cylindrical wall of the cap and the bottom portion of the shank 12, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 4. Rigidly secured in the top end of the tubular shank 12 is a fastening ey'e member 15 adapted to be connected to a boat anchoring cable '16. The cable 16 is attached in the usual manner to the associated boat.

Designated at 17 is a sleeve member which is slidably mounted on the shank portion 12, and designated at 18 are respective anchor blades which are pivoted at 19 to the lower end portion of the sleeve member 17, as viewed in FIGURE 4, at equally spaced angular positions around the sleeve member, the blades 18 being rotatable from the rearwardly extending positions shown in FIGURE 3 to the outwardly projecting positions shown in FIGURES 4 and 1.

Each blade 18 is pivoted at its inner end between a pair of parallel pivot lugs 20, 20 which are rigidly secured to the lower end portion of the sleeve member 17,

as viewed in FIGURE 4. As shown in FIGURE 2, in the normal use of the anchor, .the eye member 15 will be at the forward end portion of the shank *12, whereas the cap member 13 is at the rear end portion of said shank, the sleeve member 17 being located adjacent the cap 13 and being engaged by the forward end of a coiled spring 22. The rear or bottom end of the coiled spring 22 is in abutment with the rim or edge of the cylindrical wall of the cap member 13.

Each of the anchor blades 18 is connected to the forward portion of the shank member 12 by a curved link bar 24, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, each link bar having spaced parallel fingers 25, 25 at one end receiving the flattened inner portion 26 of the. associated anchor blade and being pivotally connected thereto by a transverse pivot pin 27. The opposite end of each link bar 24 is pivotally connected at 28 to a' bracket collar 29 rigidly secured on the forward portion of the shank member 12, the collar member 29 being provided with outwardly extending pairs of parallel lugs 30, 30 receiving the ends of the link bars 24 and pivotally secured thereto by the transverse pivot pins 28. The coiled spring 22 biases the sleeve member :17 in an upward direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, namely, toward the position of FIGURE 3, wherein the anchor blades 18 are in retracted positions, extending rearwardly and being disposed adjacent to the rear portion of the shank member 12.

Pivoted at 33 between a pair of parallel lugs 34, 34- secured on the sleeve member 17 is a locking lever 35, said lever being provided at its rear or lower end, as viewed in FIGURE 4, with an inwardly projecting locking lug 36 which is engageable through registrable apertures in sleeve 17 and shank member 12 when the prongs 18 are in the outwardly extending positions of FIGURE 4, whereby to lock the sleeve 17 in this position against the force of the compressed biasing spring 22. At its opposite end the lever 35 is formed with an inwardly projecting pin element 38 which is received in one end of a coiled biasing spring 39, the other end of the spring 39 being secured to the upper portion of the sleeve member 17, as viewed in FIGURE 4, biasing the locking lever 35 in a counterclockwise direction, namely, toward locking position. The end portion of the lever 35 is formed -adja cent the pin 38 with an aperture 40 through which is tastened one end of a flexible release cable 41, the cable 41 extending forwardly and extending to the associated boat, so that it may be manipulated when it is desired to release the anchor. As shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, the release cable 41 extends through a guide loop or eye 45 secured on the forward end portion of the shank member 1 2.

The anchor may be prepared for use by moving the sleeve member 17 rearwardly from the position of FIG- URE 3 to the position of FIGURE 4, whereupon the locking lever 35 will lock the sleeve member in this position by causing the locking lug 36 to enter the registered apertures in the sleeve member 17 and the shank portion 12. The spring 3? will hold the locking member 35 in this position. The anchor may then be dropped and employed in the usual manner, for example, may be allowed to become embedded in the soil in the bottom in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2. When it is desired to disengage the anchor, the cable 41 is pulled, which rotates the locking lever 35 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, against the biasing force of the spring 39, causing the lug 36 to be retracted from the locking aperture in the shank member 12, and allowing the spring 22 to expand, which moves the sleeve member 17 forwardly from the position of FIGURE 4 to the position of FIG- URE 3, and which thereby causes the anchor blades 18 to be retracted, namely, to be moved to the positions of :3 FIGURE. 3 wherein they extend rearwardly and are disposed" adjacent to the rearportion of the anchor member 12.

In the retracted position of the blades 18, shown in FIGURE 3, the anchor may be readily lifted aboard the boat, the boat being thus released for movement;

While a specific embodiment of an improved collapsible boat anchor has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that'various modifications within the. spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that-nolimitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A boat anchorcomprising an elongated main shank portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on said shank portion, a plurality of anchor blades pivoted to said sleeve member, attachment means on the forward end of said shank portion, respective link arms connecting said anchor blades to the shank portion at a location spaced forwardly from the sleeve member, spring means biasing the sleeve member forwardly to a position wherein said anchor blades extend rearwardly and are adjacent the rear end of the shank portion, a movable locking member on the sleeve member engageable with the shank portion to hold the anchor blades in outwardly extended positions againstv the biasing force of saidspring means, and a forwardly extending flexible release line connected to said locking member, said locking member disengaging from said shank portion responsive to a. forward pull on said release line.

2. A boat anchor comprising an elongated main shank portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on said shank portion, a plurality of anchor blades pivoted to said sleeve member, attachment-means on the forward end of said shank portion, respective link arms connecting said anchor blades tothe shank. portion at a location spaced forwardly from the sleeve member, spring means biasing the sleeve member forwardly to a position wherein said anchor blades extend rearwardly and are adjacent the rear end of the shank portion, a locking lever pivoted to said sleevemember and having a detent portion lockingly engageable with said shank portion to hold the anchor blades in outwardly extended positions against the biasing force of. said. spring means, and a forwardly extending flexible release line connected to said locking lever, said detent portion disengaging from. said shank portion responsive to a forward pull on said release line.

3'. A boat anchor comprising an elongated main shank portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on said shank portion, a plurality of anchor blades pivoted to said sleeve member, attachment means on the forward end of said shank portion, respective link arms connecting said anchor blades to the shank portion at a location spaced forwardly from the sleevemember, spring means biasing the sleeve member forwardly to a position wherein said anchor blades extend rearwardly and are adjacent the rear end of the shank portion, a locking lever pivoted to said sleeve member and having a detent portion lockingly engageable with the shank portion to holdthe anchor blades in outwardly extended positions against the biasing force of said spring means, a forwardly extending flexible release line connected to said locking lever, said detent portion disengaging fronrsaid shank portion responsive to a forward pull on said release line, and additional spring means biasing said locking lever toward locking position, said release line being connected to the locking lever so that a forward pull thereon opposes the force of said additional spring means.

4. A boat anchor comprising anelongated main shank portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on saidshank portion, a plurality of anchor blades pivoted tosaid sleeve member, attachment means on the forward end ofsaid shank portion, respective link arms. connecting said anchor blades to the shank portion at a location spaced forwardly from the sleeve member, acoiled spring mounted onthe rear end of said shank portion, abutmentmeans on said rear end, said coiled spring bearing between said abutment means and said sleeve member and biasing the.

sleeve member forwardly to a position wherein said anchor blades extend rearwardly and are adjacent the.

rear end of the shank portion, amovable locking member. on the sleeve member engageable with the shank portion to hold the anchor blades in outwardly extended. positions against the biasing force of said coiledspring, and

a forwardly extending flexible release line connected. to

said locking member, said locking member disengaging from said shank portion responsive to a forward pull on said release line.

5. A boat anchor comprising an elongated main shank portion, a sleevemember slidably mounted on said shank portion, a plurality of anchor blades pivoted to said sleeve member, attachment means on the forward end of said shank portion, respective link arms connecting said anchor blades to. the shank portion at a location spaced for.- wardly from the sleeve member, acoiled spring mounted on the rear end of said shank portion, abutment means on said rear end, said coiled springbearing between said abutment means andsaid sleeve member and biasingthe sleeve member forwardly to a position wherein saidanchor blades extend rearwardly and are adjacent the,

rear end of the shank portion, alocking lever pivotedto said sleeve member and having a detent portion lock; ingly engageable with the shank portion to hold the; anchor blades in outwardly extendedpositionsagainst the biasing force of said coiled spring, a forwardly extending flexible release, line connected to said lockinglever, said detent portion disengaging, from said. shank POIlZlOILIQ'r.

sponsive to a forward pull on said release line, and spring 7 means biasing said locking lever toward locking position,

said release line being connected to .the locking leverso that a forward pullthereonopposes the, force of saidlasta named spring means,

No references cited. 

1. A BOAT ANCHOR COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MAIN SHANK PORTION, A SLEEVE MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHANK PORTION, A PLURALITY OF ANCHOR BLADES PIVOTED TO SAID SLEEVE MEMBER, ATTACHMENT MEANS ON THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHANK PORTION, RESPECTIVE LINK ARMS CONNECTING SAID ANCHOR BLADES TO THE SHANK PORTION AT A LOCATION SPACED FORWARDLY FROM THE SLEEVE MEMBER, SPRING MEANS BIASING THE SLEEVE MEMBER FORWARDLY TO A POSITION WHEREIN SAID ANCHOR BLADES EXTEND REARWARDLY AND ARE ADJACENT THE REAR END OF THE SHANK PORTION, A MOVABLE LOCKING MEMBER ON THE SLEEVE MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SHANK PORTION TO HOLD THE ANCHOR BLADES IN OUTWARDLY EXTENDED POSITIONS AGAINST THE BIASING FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS, AND A FORWARDLY EXTENDING FLEXIBLE RELEASE LINE CONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING MEMBER, SAID LOCKING MEMBER DISENGAGING FROM SAID SHANK PORTION RESPONSIVE TO A FORWARD PULL ON SAID RELEASE LINE. 